Martin Scorsese - Martin Scorsese Says That The Lawsuit Made Over Unmade Film Is "Absurd"

A statement from representatives of Scorsese has been released, saying, "It is shocking to us that the lawyers for Cecchi Gori Pictures would file a suit pursuing such absurd claims considering the amicable working relationship existing between Martin Scorsese and the principals of Cecchi Gori Pictures."

The statement also refers to the lawsuit as having "all the earmarks of a media stunt."

The lawsuit claims that the Departed director had already signed deals to postpone work on Silence, a film based upon the novel by Japanese author Shusaku Endo, so he could work on The Departed, Shutter Island and Hugo, but has still not paid Ceechi Gori the delay fees that the two parties had agreed upon. Ceechi Gori have said that the money owed by Scorsese could be as much as $1.5 million per film, plus up to 20 percent of Scorsese's backend compensation.

After working on the 1997 film Kundun, Scorsese was supposedly due to begin work on Silence, but continually put it off. Now that he has chosen to direct Wolf of Wall Street alongside stars Leonardo Dicaprio and Jonah Hill, again putting off Silence, the film's production team want answers, and above all money, from Scorsese.